Posted by BJBenefits. As a proposal professional, when I’m thinking about or focusing on benefits, it’s usually in relation to the customer and what they’ll get from the proposal I’m developing. Things like increased revenue, higher productivity and/or improved customer service come to mind.

But in this case, the benefits I’m focusing on are those within the 2007 Proposal and BD Professionals Survey (Thanks to Barbara Esmedina and all her hard work on this. You rock Barbara!)

So, as Jon wrote in his last survey entry, “Let’s dive into some more of the results, shall we?”​

Okay. By now, most of you will have picked up on the fact that Jon and I, while obviously enjoying working together and way too often thinking alike (it’s not uncommon for people to tell us we’re like “an old married couple”), also differ in our style, approach etc. So, while I know Jon would approach the survey results with a proven methodology and a comprehensive, well thought through plan for sifting and sorting data, etc, I’m going straight to the good stuff. That being the “other” category on the survey.

In that category, the benefit that comes up most often is “telecommuting and/or working from home” (32 out of the 92 responses in this category). As many of us will have experienced, many of the functions of a proposal professional can be done, very capably and successfully, from a remote location (I’m writing this entry in a local coffee shop :) ) and it seems employers are supporting this.

Also showing up a fair number of times is “gym, fitness center, work out room, wellness center”, so it would appear there’s no reason for us proposal folks not to be getting in some exercise on a regular basis (right Jon?)

A handful of respondents receive subsidized lunches and retail discounts. One person listed “Really bad Christmas parties” as a benefit. Another listed “free lunch”. A tasty one (pun intended, of course) that I noticed was “A paid 12-weeks sabbatical after 2 of years.”

Okay, I upped the numbers on that last one a bit. It really said 4 weeks after 5 years… but it’s still a pretty cool benefit. And heck, I know lots of proposal folks who’d settle for half a day off after working ten 12-hour days without a break.

Of special interest to Jon I know will be “Bonus tied to winning” (this is a hot and ongoing [largely because Jon refuses to admit that I’m right] topic of debate between Jon and I.) Stats for “Bonus tied to winning” were:

US, 15%

Canada 23%

Europe (averaged) 33% (UK 16%, France 50%)

Asia Australia, sadly, 0%

Out of the standard categories we see that proposal professionals enjoy a fairly reasonable (in my opinion) set of benefits including health (92%) and dental (86%) insurance, paid vacations (95%), and sick leave (87%). The lowest percentage (< 5%) was seen for daycare as a benefit.

And my favorite of the benefits listed – “All the fun we can handle!”

—————————--* 10 points if you know the name of TV show that made the title a well known and all too popular phrase – scarily so for awhile. (20 points if you can name the original host, 50 if you can name all 4 hosts. And if you can, well, then you’re watching way too much TV my friend! And for the record, I preferred Louie A.)​

Gyms? Hey, I feel healthy every month when I check my bank balance and see the direct debit going out to the Leisure Club.

(Oh? You mean I actually have to go there as well?)

Reply

Tammie

3/26/2016 04:59:43 am

The show was Family Fued, but there was actually five hosts between daytime and night time syndicated shows: Richard Dawson (original host), Ray Combs, Louie Armstrong, Richard Karns, & current host John O’Hurley.

And no, I don’t watch too much television. In fact, I never watch it – I just like trivia!

Reply

Tammie

3/26/2016 04:59:54 am

oops – I typed Louie Armstrong, but meant Louie Anderson. It must be the music I’m listening too!